You might not have received a notification that I post ch 11 last week, so before you read on, just check that you have read ch 11. Hopefully FF website is working properly again. Enjoy.

Chapter 12

Beckett and Castle were seated on a park bench with Chloe, the teenage nanny between them. It remained a brisk day, which made sitting about in the cold something Kate didn't want to spend too much time doing. Chloe also showed signs she felt the cooler temperature particularly as she had just been running after a pre-schooler. To prevent freezing their assess off, Beckett got straight to the point of their meeting with Chloe.

"Chloe, Sara's boyfriend told us that you were the one who got Sara her job."

"You talked to Brent?" Chloe asked and Beckett nodded. "When we got out of school, Sara couldn't find a job. She was temping all over town. I nanny for a family in the same building and heard that the Petersons were looking for someone."

"So, when was the last time you saw Sara?" Castle inquired and immediately Chloe turned and looked away, upset.

Beckett stepped in and said, "I understand how it feels to lose someone, Chloe, but we need to ask you these questions."

Chloe nodded, "We'd meet before work sometimes. Get some coffee on Columbus, then walk over to work together."

"Did you have coffee with her that day?"

"Yeah."

Castle asked, "And, did Sara say anything to you? Did she seem upset?"

Unsure and surprised Chloe asked, "Upset? Upset about what?"

Beckett remained calm and explained, "We got the impression from Brent that Sara was seeing someone else."

Again, Chloe looked off into the distance. Castle who was up to speed with the mannerisms of teenage girls, saw Chloe wasn't willing to share information she possibly knew. "You know who he was, don't you, Chloe." He encouraged.

Chloe turned, looked at Castle's face, then answered, "Sara stayed late sometimes."

Confused, Beckett asked, "What do you mean? At the Petersons?" She glanced at Rick.

Castle mouthed to Beckett, behind Chloe's back, "Told you."

Chloe said, "We got off work around the same time most days, so we'd take the train together. I live with a roommate a couple of blocks from Sara, but the last few months she started staying late. Mr and Mrs Peterson take turns coming home for dinner, you know?"

Beckett nodded, "Yes. Mrs. Peterson told us."

The young woman said, "God, I don't wanna say something and then, I mean, he's married."

Beckett asked, "Sara told you about him then?"

"No. Not exactly. It's just, the nights Mrs Peterson didn't come home for dinner? Those were the only nights Sara stayed late."

Again, Beckett looked behind Chloe to Castle, who raised an eyebrow. She returned her attention to the younger woman, "Thank you, Chloe for talking with us." She stood up as Castle did taking her cue that the conversation was over.

After a little small talk, Castle and Beckett were on their way back to her car.

She touched his lower arm to gain his attention as they walked, "I'm hungry, Rick."

"Already? And after the big breakfast I served you."

"Yeah, well, burning some calories lately," she stated then pushed her tongue into a cheek trying to hold back a smartass grin as she looked at him. "Not complaining."

"I hope you're not. I'm getting hungry though, so must be the nocturnal activities," Rick said as they stepped off the curb. They hurried over the road to avoid an oncoming taxi.

"Well, how about I take you for lunch today?" Beckett pointed the keys and unlocked the Crown.

"You have something in mind?"

They got in the car. "Do you like Thai?" Beckett asked.

"Of course."

"Good." Kate started the engine. "I could really go with finding a bathroom too,' she said.

"Yeah me too. Like you never see cops on TV needing to go, but now I appreciate how hard it is for you guys when you're on the job in public places."

"Imagine what it's like when there's an urgency to it." Kate offered up and followed it with a chuckle. "Ask Ryan about that."

"Oh, please, do tell."

"He ate Mexican beans one day for lunch." She gave a giggle. "We had an unplanned stakeout that night. Espo and I nearly died."

"Oh. Mental note to self to keep with the regular food when on the job."

"Avoid the type of foods that have an effect, Captain Risky." She smiled at him then refocused on the road ahead.

Detective Beckett and Mr Castle entered the building they planned to meet Howard Peterson at, via rotating doors into the lobby. Rick shuffled in behind Kate in the same compartment, bumping her out of the door as the glass paneled chased him. He sprung out of it like a lamb which caused Kate to laugh and shake her heard.

"You really are an idiot," she said, amused nonetheless by his childish behavior. She caught security at the desk observing him. Kate kept walking and Rick soon caught up falling in to Kate's right. Further along he sighted the sign they desperately been searching for. He pointed it out to their left, "Little girl's room, Kate."

She followed his pointed hand, saw the familiar sign and made an immediate beeline to the ladies' room. Rick tagged along but deviated to the men's room. A few minutes later, he waited outside the ladies for her and smiled in amusement when she exited the toilets with a look of pure relief on her face.

"Trying time, huh?" He inquired falling in beside her.

"I was close to bursting point."

"Mm. Messy. Was that second cup of coffee this morning, and then the take away I delivered to the precinct. Three cups."

She laughed, "Yeah, it's crazy how you're saying good morning when you arrive and I've been with you all night. I want to laugh but I have to play Detective Beckett."

"Arrhh the downsides to the secret life of Castle and Beckett." Rick mused.

"Can't wait to get this over and done with. I'm so hungry," Beckett stated her palm flat again her abdomen. "I'm fading away."

"Seriously? For someone as slim as you, you certainly have a good appetite."

"Mm." She frowned, "I tend to graze, Rick."

"Like a horse?"

"No. I mean, I'll eat a piece of fruit and then maybe nuts, every few hours. This is a long time between meals."

"Told you we should have asked the husband more questions that day." Rick replied as they walked towards where they had arranged to meet Howard Peterson. "We could be eating."

Beckett replied, "And I told you, I like to question my most likely suspect after I know more about him or her. That way he or she is tied to more specific answers. Him in this instance."

"So you suspected him too?"

Beckett glanced at Rick, "The husband? Duh."

"You know, Beckett, you would totally clean up at my poker games."

She rolled her eyes, "Right. Just you, James Patterson and the rest of the Times best seller list."

"A few others, give or take,"

"Mm. I think it's probably a little too rich for my blood, Castle."

"We could always make it strip poker," he suggested.

She held back a smile, and said, "Sorry, Castle, but I prefer mystery to horror."

Castle laughed, "Yeah, but one night we're gonna play strip poker and I will kick your ass, Honey."

"I wouldn't bet on that. I'll have you naked in no time," she bounced back and gave him a sly smile, which caused Rick to laugh more.

"I'm unbeatable at Scrabble," he advised.

"I will beat you at that too." Kate said with confidence as she laid eyes upon the man they were to meet.

"Yeah right."

Howard was where he'd said he would, yapping business into his cell phone and roaming a space. He had seen them, his expression indicating he was aware they had arrived but was unsure why they were there and perhaps a little put out by their arrival. He held up a finger for them to wait a moment.

Howard said into the phone, "Yeah. I'm checking out the space now. But I told you, I need at least twenty thousand square feet."

Beckett waved her hand in a circular motion, indicating he should wind up his call. Now.

Howard nodded at Beckett and said, "Look, I'll call you back if my clients are interested. Yep. Goodbye." He hung up the call.

Beckett said, "Hi. Remember us?"

"Yes, of course, Detective Beckett and Mr Castle." He looked from them to the entrance, clearly anxious to be on the move, "Can we walk? I need to be three blocks down like five minutes ago."

"Sure. It's a nice day for a walk, right Castle?"

"Yeah sure, we might find a place to eat as well."

"True," Beckett agreed as they all turned towards the lobby entrance. It was all she thought about as they walked out a side entrance back on to the street. She was famished.

Outside on the pavement Beckett, Castle and Howard Peterson walked in a line and talked.

Beckett got them into conversation so they could get on with their day, "So when was the last time you saw, Sara, Mr. Peterson?"

"The night before she was killed. I already told you."

"Which was your night to be home for dinner, right?" Castle asked.

"Yes. Why are you asking?"

Castle was about to answer but Beckett jumped in, waving her hand at him to not speak, "Eh. Eh. Eh." She turned her attention to Peterson. "I have information that Sara Manning was involved in a relationship."

"Right," Howard said with a nod, "She had a boyfriend."

Castle scrunched his face. "You're guessing wrong."

Beckett added, "Someone else."

"Someone else? Who?" Howard was surprised and interested.

Castle looked at Peterson as he sheepishly pointed to him.

Howard pointed at himself, mostly in shock, "Me? You think I was having an affair with Sara?"

"Bingo." Rick popped out.

"But that's, that's... crazy."

"Is it?" Beckett asked, "We know she stayed late on some nights."

"To help us with dinner."

"Us? What we heard is that she only helped on the nights your wife wasn't home." Beckett replied.

Howard Peterson suddenly appeared a bit trapped and paused in his stride. "It's not what you think."

"When is it ever?" Rick asked stepping in closer, and to get out of the way of other pedestrians.

"Look, it wasn't my fault Wall Street tanked. Took the real estate market with it. Only try telling her that."

"Try telling who that, Mr. Peterson?" Beckett asked, a little confused about where he was going with the conversation with Wall Street. What the hell did that have to do with the murder or the affair.

"My wife." Howard sighed and looked about them, finally focusing on Beckett, "And you're right. I was having an affair."

"So, what happened?" She asked.

Castle immediately shot Beckett an odd look of disbelief that she didn't know what happened when two people had an affair. She flashed a frustrated glare right back at him.

Simultaneously, Howard furrowed his brow at Beckett, "What do you mean, what happened? I cheated. I strayed. Whatever you wanna call it."

"I meant, in that laundry room." Beckett corrected awkwardly while mentally kicking herself for not being clearer.

"What?" Howard paused.

Beckett said, "You just said that-"

"I was having an affair," Howard interrupted, "But it wasn't with Sara, for God's sake. It was with a woman in my office." Again, he scanned about them, processing the discussion they were in the middle of, then looked back at the Detective who was patiently waiting for him to cut to the chase. "Look, on the nights I was supposed to be home for dinner, I wasn't. Check the land line at the apartment. I always called Sara to make sure things were okay. There's gotta be records from my cell phone, right?"

"Okay," Beckett nodded, openly annoyed she hadn't accomplished anything other than finding out another man was having an affair.

"Don't leave town?" Castle said, noting Beckett was a little deflated about the progress, or lack of, of this case.

Side by side they walked a couple of blocks towards the street where the car was parked. Silence reigned between them most of the way, both chewing on the conversation had with Howard Peterson.

Suddenly, Castle grabbed Kate's hand and half dragged her between people into an alley, pacing ahead. She kept up, searching behind then for why he had impulsively deviated from their journey back to her car.

"Castle, what are you doing?" She impatiently asked.

He gave her hand a squeeze, "C'mon. I know a place for lunch. I read great reviews about it and have wanted to dine there for ages."

"How many restaurant reviews do you read?" She scurried forward to catch up with his pace, glad she was able to cover ground rapidly with her long stride.

"You have no idea."

"I'm getting the feeling I do."

"Though lately I've actually been trying them out."

"I'm gonna gain twenty pounds dating you," she stated with a tone of humour.

"That won't hurt you, but five would be good," he replied quickly. "I'm not implying-"

"You think I'm too skinny?"

"No," he adamantly stated, "You are perfect to me, whatever form you come in. Come on."

"Perfect," she repeated, dwelling on that. Her mother had often called her perfect and had regularly encouraged her to stay the way she was. She felt a warmth spark within her and gripped his hand firmly. In the same moments, Kate realized they were side by side, holding hands, their upper arms lightly bumping into each other as they navigated their way around other pedestrians, not letting oncoming walkers separate them. She liked that. He paused half way along the block, searched about them then pointed with his free hand up ahead. She followed his direction.

"There it is, Kate. Thai food, named as one of New York City's best eateries," he grinned. "I hope you're still hungry."

"Starving. Let's go, Castle."

They proceeded to the green door, with an image of a bowl of Thai soup.

Rick ordered two meals of Tom Kha Kai which was chicken in coconut soup and a third dish of fried rice with vegetables, while Beckett called into to update Ryan and Esposito of their progress. By the time she hung up the call the meals were served and Rick was hoeing in, quite hungry.

Kate stirred her soup, then pulled the rice a little her way. Rick paused when she did so. She smirked, aware he had been momentarily concerned she was going to steal the rice. She keenly ate a few mouthfuls hungrier than she had thought she was.

"Castle, can I ask you something?" She asked a few minutes later, pausing from her meal.

"Personal or business?" He asked right back, his blue eyes mischievous.

"Personal. Very personal."

"I see," he seriously replied. "Personal category. Will I be able to handle it?"

She laughed girlishly, the Detective, tucked away for now.

"Alright." He put down his utensil, wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back watching Kate the entire time. He kind of smiled, leaned in, then said so only she would hear, "You're worried we didn't use condoms last night…"

Instantly her eyes widened, then she smiled, "No. Well, yes. But no." She glanced about the tiny restaurant, feeling awkward with him raising the condom matter now. "I'm okay about that." She added looking right at him to ensure he knew. "But my question is not about that."

"Well, tell me."

She blurted out, "Howard Peterson."

"Personal?" He asked in surprise.

She nodded. "Him cheating on his wife, Castle."

"Oh, yes."

"I don't want to be that wife, well girlfriend. I don't usually date at warp speed, Rick." She clenched her jaw, exposing her teeth.

"Oh." Rick picked up the fork and grabbed a scoop of rice, shoved it in his mouth then chewed, while he tried to anticipate where Kate was going with this conversation to convince her not to waste energy worrying. She ate, too hungry to have much of a spell. He put down the fork, swallowed, "So what's your question?"

"Maybe it's not so much a question but a concern I have."

"Okay." He understood he walked a fine line of either blowing their new relationship to smithereens, or hurtling it into the totally committed zone. He was unsure which would upset Kate the most. Concern was written all over her face as it probably was on his own, "Honey, I'm not Howard Peterson."

"I know," she agreed with a roll of her eyes. "Duh."

"My first wife, Meredith?"

She nodded, "Alexis' mother?"

"That's the one. She cheated on me." He sat forward reaching for Kate's hand and let his news sink in. "Kate, I've been thinking since we spoke to Peterson."

"Mm?" Do you mind if we-" he bit his lip, unsure of himself, then threw himself in, "I don't want to be with any other woman. I'm kind of fond of who is in front of me right now."

She nodded.

Rick forged on, with a suggestion, a big one. "What if we just be with each other and see what happens?" He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Be exclusive?" She inquired, then smiled, a little excited. "Yes?"

"Yes. But it's still a secret."

"Definitely." She weaved her fingers into his. "It will give us the best shot. We've jumped in pretty fast. We could risk imploding."

"Then let's do that so others don't impact on us."

"Yes," she agreed. "And no more condoms?"

He laughed, then said, "I'm okay with that."

"Happy now?" Ricked asked and immediately saw her cheeks brighten, eyes glisten.

"Yes. You?"

"Very happy. I'm with you, Kate."

"Good. Now eat your lunch, Writer Boy. We have criminals to catch." She said then laughed out loud.